A Double Agent
by Renee1798
Summary: Severus finds out that Peter is the spy and warns James and Lily that fated Halloween night. How can one action change the course of young Harry's future?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One - Changing Allegiance

**Hello, everyone! This is my first story ever. Its an adoption/continuation of Verity Grahams' story of the same name.**

**So far, there are 22 chapters of this story written so far (23, technically, one chapter had to be split in half)**

**Disclaimer: Not mine. I wish it were**

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It was a dreary afternoon in Hogsmeade; the sky was overcast, the inhabitants were shy of being outdoors, but that was usual these days. The Dark Lord's grip on the wizarding world was now quite secure, and those daring to stand against him were few and far between. The wider wizarding world of Great Britain was now resigned to the oppression that had gripped their world. Before the 'Great Wizarding War', Hogsmeade had been a vibrant little country town, the only wholly magical village in the country. There was no knowing what you might see - children with the latest magical toys, usually brooms, each trying to outrace one another. They might even be eating one of many varieties of sweets with rather odd side effects, not unlike the peppermint fancies that would leave smoke coming out of your ears for a while. Joyful witches and wizards would usually be seen coming out of The Three Broomsticks, but there was barely anyone there anymore; it was almost as lifeless as The Hogs Head.

Hogsmeade is somewhat famous for being so close to one of the greatest wizarding schools in the world: Hogwarts. It just so happened that the current Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, was holding interviews for various posts that day. He would be taking these meetings in an upper room in The Hog's Head. There were numerous applicants for each position, presumably because Dumbledore was widely believed to be the only wizard that ever frightened the Dark Lord, and as such Hogwarts was thought to be the safest place with Albus at the helm. Due to the number of applicants, the governors would likely turn many away before they even saw Albus. Two candidates were more important than any others, though Albus didn't know it yet.

One, Sybill Trelawney, was seen as a courtesy, she was a descendant of a great and genuine seer - Cassandra Trelawney. Albus was not keen on continuing the subject further at Hogwarts, nor was he all that impressed with Sybill's gift of foresight. The other was interested in the Defence Against the Dark Arts post - Severus Snape. Dumbledore remembered him from being a student, a gifted boy; however, lured unfortunately to the dark side. Albus realised that this was Voldemort's attempt at infiltrating Hogwarts.

Voldemort, also known as Tom Riddle, had applied for the job himself years before which Albus had declined. He had a duty of care for the young minds at Hogwarts, and he knew the plans that Voldemort would have for them. Since then it was challenging for Albus to keep staff in that position for more than a year, many suspected that there was a curse on that particular role, Albus knew.

In fact, Albus knew a great many things. He knew that if one wanted to be secretive, the Hog's Head was not the place to go, far too easy to be overheard in such a quiet, unused pub. One thing that he didn't know was that he would hear something in this first interview that needed not to remain secret. Albus had never suspected that Sybill might have authentic visions; her interview had so far gone dreadfully. As he was going to close the meeting, Albus was shocked by her grand finale. Sybill went into a trance-like state - she was stiff as a board, tensed from the top of her head to the tips of her fingers; her voice that had once been airy and mystical was now just as harsh and gravelly, and when she spoke, the words seemed to be a genuine prophecy:

_"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…."_

Only a moment passed before Sybill was back to her usual airy self as though nothing had happened. Albus was stunned, and what was more, Sybill seemed to have no idea what she had done. He, of course, decided to offer her the post; it appeared that she possessed the gift, though she was not aware of it and maybe she would give Albus greater insight. Albus looked into her large be-speckled eyes and saw hope, hope that Voldemort would be defeated.

Outside the door waiting for his interview was Severus. He had heard bits and pieces of a prophecy he didn't truly understand. Upon hearing the news of a child having the ability to defeat the Dark Lord, Severus knew that the information should be given to his Lord immediately. He always had misgivings, and with a child being the subject of the report he had to offer, he felt sick. They, however, were his family; he must be loyal, knowing that if The Dark Lord found out he even pondered this, and he had ways, then that would be it. The tale of Regulus Black was evidence enough. He was a Death Eater, and this is the life of a Death Eater, fraught with fear, but once chosen there was no going back. Albus never had to refuse Severus the job; self-preservation had won the internal battle once again. Albus full of hope was blissfully unaware that Voldemort too would hear some of these words.

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Snape reappeared outside a grand and dark looking estate. He wasn't eager to give his Lord the prophecy, knowing that the only option would be acting now as the child would be only an infant, they surely would have to remove the threat. Any feelings of unease or uncertainty had to be dismissed, thinking only of the will of his Lord. He added to his uniform the mask that he had to wear in the presence of the Dark Lord. Severus' robes billowed behind him as he strode purposefully towards the gates. An absent wave of his wand and the gates dissolved into smoke, just long enough for him to pass through. The gates solidified as he walked through to pretentious garden complete with the ridiculous pair of white peacocks strutting on the lawns.

"_Suits Lucius,"_ thought Snape somewhat snidely. He continued through great wooden doors to a large dining room where Voldemort sat at the head of a table with many masked faces. He stood in the entrance, waiting to be called, head bowed submissively.

Voldemort glanced lazily over to his servant. He perceived the tension in Severus' body, his body stiff, his fist clenched. Voldemort regarded him to be desperate to serve, never considering that there was a war going on inside the man. Voldemort associated these signs with good news; Severus had proved himself to be a great gatherer of information, making himself a useful servant. From the outside, it was clear that this was all he, The Dark Lord, wanted from his subject - their usefulness. If this were to pass, then so would his favour; things would be even worse were you to become injurious - he rewarded failure with death. To strive for his regard was glamorised in the Death Eaters minds, but this was the risk of being in his inner circle, unlimited favour or absolute destruction. Voldemort nodded at Severus, permitting him to talk.

"I think this news is best to be shared My Lord privately." Severus spoke evenly.

Severus' had now made his choice; the Dark Lord sensed something, and let's not forget that he was a Legillimens. If he were to keep quiet now, it would be suicide. He bowed his head slightly, his eyes fixed on the one he called Lord.

Voldemort stood and gestured to a door at the side of the hall. They walked together, Severus' eyes fixed on his master who moved gracefully towards the private chamber. He remained silent securing the door behind them, and silently he cast a spell of his own making; 'muffliato'. He then turned to the Dark Lord, finally removing his mask.

"My Lord." He spoke, at last.

The moment had come, to speak or not to speak.

"I have overheard a prophecy, My Lord." He bowed his head submissively.

A secret fear welled inside him; dare he continue? It is dangerous to speak against the Dark Lord; to speak of his defeat could be perilous. Not to mention the threat would be equally disastrous. Severus' thought went to the unnamed, innocent child he would be condemning to death. Severus was an intelligent man; he had come too far, and it would be worse not to speak. Self-preservation was a very Slytherin trait.

"My Lord the prophecy speaks of the birth of one that would have the power to overcome you…" Severus paused filled with shame; he had turned a child over to the Dark Lord, he had no choice but to brush the feeling aside. He waited for the reaction. Voldemort stood silently for a moment, thinking, nothing to read on his face. Finally, he spoke.

"Severus, where did you hear this prophecy?" His voice was sweet, silky almost, it would have been beautiful if it didn't freeze your insides with fear.

"I was waiting to be interviewed by Albus Dumbledore, as instructed my Lord." He paused momentarily.

He glanced at his Lords' face; always reading his mood, sensing either his Lord's displeasure or his delight.

"The interview was in an upper room at The Hog's Head Inn. Sybill Trelawney made the prophecy; she was by an applicant for the Divination post. Dumbledore witnessed it." He again paused waiting for a reaction; he pushed aside the usual squirm. His Lord's face was even; no hint of either anger or pleasure. He dared himself to hold back something, something to save the child.

"Please, Severus, recite the prophecy for me ...exactly." His voice cold and uncaring, he gave nothing away.

Voldemort was calm and confident; there was little fear in this prophecy for him. At least that is what Severus read on his face, and he was by no means easy to fool.

"My Lord, it was as follows; 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies.' That is all I heard my Lord." Severus bowed again.

His shame increased. He realised that all he had to do was keep the second line to himself. Yet, ashamed as he was, ensuring his own safety seemed of more importance. His Lord's confidence helped fear of retribution subside. The room was silent, and the air seemed to freeze as the atmosphere changed. Voldemort mulled over the words that Severus had spoken.

Voldemort took up a seat in the corner by the fire; his mind flitting over the information and those that were in the Order of the Phoenix. They were the only ones that were still willing to defy him. Many had tried, many had fallen. Not many had survived more than one encounter with him; and even fewer couples.

Only one couple came to the Dark Lord's mind. James and Lily Potter. They had been a thorn in his side, they had defied him, yes, three times. He thought over the words again. He knew that the Potters had recently conceived, but when would the child be born? Was the Potters' child destined to overthrow him? He sat still, silently sorting through the various facts that he had stored in his mind. It came, like lightning, yes, it fits. James and Lily Potter, their son, must die. Severus was still stood there awaiting instruction.

"The Potters are the ones that the prophecy speaks off; but fear not, I shall take care of that myself." There was a tone of finality in his voice.

Severus knew that he should leave, but he couldn't; he loved her, and saving her mattered more than his own life. For her, he would willingly die. These words froze Severus' insides; his mind was darting through memories of Lily; he did not desire her, he adored her. She was his worst mistake. Severus should have loved her when he had the chance. There was nothing he could do to save her; his heart sank - he felt hopeless. Then in a moment of faith, he fell to his knees before his Dark Lord.

"My Lord," he began. "The woman, Lily, may I ask for her life to be spared? I implore, she is … special to me." He stopped, head bowed, subservient.

He hoped and prayed that this information would be enough to purchase her life. He prayed to all he knew - to every deity he knew of, even to Merlin himself. His shame redoubled over his failure even to try and save her child; he also felt shame at not saving James, though he despised the man.

"Severus," he glanced over at the young man before him.

Desperation oozed from Severus' every pore. All Voldemort saw was a weakness.

"I think we could find you a more... _suitable_ companion. There are many fine pure-bloods within the ranks." His voice was cold and sharp as the words fell from his lips.

He glanced at Severus, whose face was utterly impassive, except for the fear in his onyx eyes: fear for the woman he loved.

"Is she worth so much to you, Severus?" The Dark Lord asked. "So much that you would risk your life, simply to beg for hers?"

"Yes, My Lord," Severus whispered, heart thumping violently in his chest as he spoke.

"I will consider it; you are after all, my most faithful."

Ice gripped his heart; he should have felt relaxed, knowing her life might be safe. At that moment Severus knew that he did not trust this man; her life was too precious to place in the hands of this mass murderer. Severus had never had to guard himself so much in the presence of his master; he knew he had to ensure her protection. Was there was no one else? To Severus, a world without Lily was no world at all. Now there was nothing that he would be able to do about it.

"I understand completely, My Lord. Thank you for considering it, My Lord." His tone was dull and emotionless.

From Severus' hard exterior no one would know, not even Voldemort, that his heart was secretly breaking. He resigned himself and left the Dark Lord's presence; moving from the headquarters immediately, he didn't know where to go; he didn't know of anyone that would be able to help him.

He Disapperated and found himself on a hillside with a small thicket of trees. There was a small sunlit river glittering through the trunks. It was a special place for him: it was the place he met Lily. At that moment he knew that there was only one person that might be able to help him. Having delivered messages before, Severus knew how to contact him; he sent word and waited.

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Severus was panting and pacing, and in his hand, he gripped his wand. His heart still full of despair and now filling with fear. He felt he had made a choice, the only option really. This gave him no safe ground - from now on there was no side to call his own. Severus was a traitor to both sides of the war. Those in the light had always hated and rejected him; and he expected to die, but if that was the price to save Lily, then so be it. Suddenly a blinding, jagged jet of white light flew through the air. Severus dropped to his knees, and his wand flew out of his hand.

"Don't kill me!" He begged.

"That was not my intention." Albus' voice was hard but kinder than it ought to be.

Any sound of Dumbledore Apparating had been drowned by the thundering sound of the wind in the branches. He stood before Snape with his robes whipping around him, and his face was illuminated from below in the light cast by his wand.

"Well, Severus? What message does Lord Voldemort have for me?"

"No - no message. I'm here on my account!"

Snape was wringing his hands; he looked a little mad, with his lifeless and dull black hair flying around him.

"I - I come with a warning - no, a request - please -"

Dumbledore flicked his wand. Though leaves and branches still flew through the night air around them, silence fell on the spot where he and Snape faced each other.

"What request could a Death Eater make of me?"

"The - the prophecy … the prediction, Trelawney…"

"Ah, yes," said Dumbledore. "How much did you relay to Lord Voldemort?"

"Everything - Everything I heard!" said Snape. "That is why - it is for that reason - he thinks it means Lily Evans!"

"The prophecy did not refer to a woman," said Dumbledore. "It spoke of a boy born at the end of July-"

"You know what I mean! He thinks it means her son! He is going to hunt her down - he will kill them all -"

"If she means so much to you," said Dumbledore, "surely Lord Voldemort will spare her? Could you not ask for mercy for the mother, in exchange for the son?"

"I have - I have asked him -" he paused.

"You disgust me," said Dumbledore, his voice full of contempt. "You do not care, then, about the deaths of her husband and child? They can die as long as you have what you want?"

"I know, I disgust myself," Snape spoke barely above a whisper and looked up at Dumbledore. "Hide them all," he croaked. "Keep them - safe. Please?" It was the second time he had begged for her life in one night, and he knew he had to ask for theirs, too - losing them would destroy her and he couldn't have that.

"And what will you give me in return, Severus?"

"In - in return?" Snape gaped at Dumbledore, after a long moment he said what he knew to be true. What he would give for her. "Anything."

They talked for a long time on the hilltop; they spoke about what Dumbledore would require as payment. The more they spoke, it seemed this payment was a kindness to Severus. Some weights lifted from his overburdened shoulders, and Dumbledore settled an altogether different weight; Severus accepted the challenge of being Dumbledore's spy. His heart was still full of fear; the Dark Lords retribution was fearsome. Snape may pay dearly for Lily's life; and yet hope remained because the world would still have Lily Evans in it. That, thought Snape, was worth dying for.

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**That's the end of Chapter 1! Whoo-Hoo!**

**I would like to say thank you to the****_ Wonderful_**** Verity for letting me adopt this story! If you haven't, guys, go check out her work! She is a phenomenal writer!**

**Please drop me a review and let me know what you think!**

**~~~~~Renee**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two - The Secret Keeper

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**So, here is Chapter 2! I'm posting it off my phone, because i have insomnia and cant sleep. hahaha**. **Thanks to everyone who has followed/favorited this story so far! i wasnt expecting such a response so quickly!**

**Guest review: Rcm11: Thank you for being my first review! As far as i know, it hasnt been exactly word for word coppied from A Prince's Tale. it may have been. its been a minute since ive read DH.**

**Alright, thats enough rambling for me. Onto the story!**

**Disclaimer: not mine, sorry.**

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Godric's Hollow was a quaint, predominantly wizard populated village. The town usually had a warm and welcoming feel, but in the throes of autumn the trees were bare, and the ground was littered with crispy golden leaves. The streets were lined with little cottages with a beautiful idyllic church on the corner, in the distance, there was a breathtaking view of rolling hills; it was just like a fairy tale. It would have been the ideal place to live, if it wasn't a wizarding hot-spot and a target for You-Know-Who. There was a constant feeling of dread in the air - that was what it felt like in any densely magically populated area these days. It was almost paradoxical how the atmosphere differed from the blissful and peaceful exterior.

Set further back there was one cottage that seemed grander than the rest. It was positioned in such a way that you wouldn't be able to see unless you already knew it was there - meaning there were no prying eyes to see the commotion that went on inside. A man approached the cottage: he was tall, slender yet muscular, he had shoulder-length shaggy dark hair and some rough stubble. He dressed in bright robes with a grey waistcoat underneath. His wand was holstered at his hip, and his body language was tense - his hand hovering constantly. 'Constant vigilance' his Auror mentor had taught him. There were beautifully manicured lawns with colourful flowers and ivy climbing up the side of the low cottage. Lights flickered inside, and a group could be seen arguing animatedly inside as he strolled through the door. Finally, safe from prying eyes and ears, safely concealed under the many enchantments surrounding the beautiful cottage, he joined the congregation inside. He trusted almost every person in that room. Unfortunately, at times such as this, mistrust was often bred; there was one present he believed had turned to the other side.

"Sirius!" A tall man with messy, black hair and bright hazel eyes, which glinted behind his round glasses, approached him. He walked over and immediately greeted his friend.

"James!" Sirius smiled, this was the man he trusted more than any other.

Looking around the room he saw other members of the Order of the Phoenix. This was an organisation built by their old Headmaster to quell the rising tide of prejudice. However, it had failed in that regard, and now they were at an all out war. The Order was filled with those that were brave enough to fight against The Dark Lord. The first of these was Remus Lupin. He was taller than the others and skinny, his face was covered in scars, he looked unkempt and weak. This was usual as it was shortly after the lunar cycle had come to an end. Remus Lupin was a werewolf, targeted by a cruel man at the tender age of five, and he had grown with the burden of Lycanthropy. Remus went through a traumatic transformation each month; the condition caused much prejudice from the rest of the wizarding community, and although he didn't know it, even from his friends.

Someone had been passing information. James and Sirius believed it was Remus, allowing the stigma to affect their judgement, they ignored the man that he indeed was. Remus walked over to embrace his friend Sirius Black, a man that he trusted no matter what.

"Sirius, what took so long?" he asked worriedly, he held him tightly and then pulled away, smiling weakly.

"I had to throw off a tail." He replied, wanting to add that someone must have passed information about the meeting, but thought better of it.

Next, there was Peter Pettigrew. He was not as skilled or as handsome as the others. A pot-bellied young man with dirty brown-blonde hair, his hazel eyes were watering profusely, and he fidgeted with his hands as though wary and scared even of the shadows. Peter was a close friend of James, Sirius and Remus from their time at Hogwarts. Peter was one who was never suspected by his friends - partly because they all underestimated his backbone and skill to complete any kind of double life.

"S-S Sirius…" Peter reached out a hand to his old friend.

Sirius gripped his hand firmly and patted his shoulder, he looked at him in the eyes and smiled, slightly impressed he was brave enough to get involved. There were a few Aurors here, including Alastor Moody, Sirius' mentor at the Auror office and of course Albus Dumbledore himself. The former was large and imposing; he had many scars and a prosthetic leg. He was both dark and impressive, but no one would ever suspect Moody, who was known for his hatred of dark wizards, dedicating his life to ridding the world of wizarding filth. Albus, however, was almost a polar opposite; he was tall and wore inappropriately bright robes. His bright blue eyes sparkled with unexpected joy, considering the circumstances, but that was Dumbledore, he always saw the hope in the darkness.

"We just need to wait for Lily," James commented pacing anxiously.

"Just putting young Harry to bed?" Albus asked in a kindly manner as he sat down, making himself at home. With a wave of his wand, the coffee table was filled with various refreshments; butterbeer, tea, coffee, and a wide range of biscuits appeared almost instantly.

It wasn't long before, Lily, a beautiful redheaded woman, tiptoed downstairs delicately. As she walked into the living room, she held her index finger up to her mouth, signalling them to be quiet. Lily gently shut the living room door, then shuffled over to the couch in her fluffy slippers. She glanced around the room, taking in the friends that were left fighting, they had lost so much, now she feared that they would lose more. Lily couldn't bear that these people were risking their lives for her and her family.

Everyone started expectantly at Dumbledore. They were waiting for his words after all; he was the one that they hoped held the key to defeating You Know Who's reign of tyranny. This was the problem, though, they were all in the dark - all they knew was that James and Lily's lives were in danger. Dumbledore was the only relatively relaxed person in the room. Albus always seemed to be unaware that everyone was expecting something from him, though maybe it wasn't the reality - perhaps he just chose not to rush. He helped himself to the teapot on the table, making a cup of tea that seemed to have an excess of sugar. Albus leaned back as he held the dainty teacup stirring, then looked up.

"Sit," was all he said.

Everyone settled into a chair. Although settled wasn't the right word; they looked like they were sat on hot coals, almost more worried than they had been before. Peter, in particular, seemed to be very afraid. Dumbledore, though he was the most relaxed, had an air of more concern than they were used to; he was always bright, shiny and looking at the hope in any situation - and that is what they dearly needed.

"I have witnessed a prophecy." He paused, the room tensed and expectation filled the room. "It concerns the destruction of The Dark Lord, Voldemort." He said calmly waiting for the room to recover from his alarming statement.

The body language was mixed; some were daring to hope, almost relaxing, particularly in the case of Sirius. James seemed a bit wary; this couldn't be it? James had been told that his family were in danger - Lily knew this as well. She sat holding herself, leaning forward as if to hear how they would be able to put an end to this war before Albus even formed the words. Peter, cowered in fear, more than before Dumbledore had spoken. Remus was very calm, almost resolute and unmoved by the words - not unlike the other Aurors. They appeared to take the words as a challenge.

"The catch being, Voldemort has heard part of it." As he said this his looked weary, older, and more lined - Albus was worried.

It was that expression that sucked the smallest scrap of hope that had been in the air.

"And the prophecy?" Remus asked, his tone cautiously hopeful. "How does it put James and Lily in danger?"

Remus wasn't the only one staring at Albus intently - the entire rooms attention was focused on their leader, and all silently asking the same question.

"I won't be telling you," Dumbledore responded calmly.

"But-" Remus began, he almost did a double take, his expression confused.

"Information is precious - no one is in need of this information, I will, therefore, keep it to myself. This prophecy could apply to two children, both born at the same time; Harry, and Alice and Frank's son, Neville." Albus' voice was quiet, solemn. His face was weary, and that's when the realisation hit - James and Lily were not being targeted, Harry was.

James relaxed slightly he supposed that it wasn't set in stone now - Frank and Alice were in the same position. As cold-hearted as it sounded, he was glad that there was the chance that another family would be targeted; and here he allowed the smallest shred of hope he allowed.

"Albus? It's not definite that Voldemort will be coming for Harry?" He almost smiled, a flicker of guilt also appeared on his face, failing to think of the Longbottoms and their potential loss.

"I'm afraid…" Dumbledore paused, knowing he was about to decimate the Potter last hope. "My contact is certain that Harry will be the target. Voldemort believes that Harry is the one that will be his downfall. I have been warned to hide you all immediately."

James was frozen in fear - no longer trusting himself, or Albus, to speak. He needed this to stop. The rest of the room didn't fare much better; each face fell; their last hope was a baby. This baby, Harry, was now number one on Voldemort's on hit-list. Lily reacted the worst; her face was frozen as she pulled herself in a protective cocoon on the sofa. Silent tears ran down her face, utter despair overtaking her.

James watched his wife as she succumbed to hopelessness. Aside from the fear all he felt was confusion and anger - confused that this was his life! James should have had a happy family complete with a wife and children; they should be safe and full of joy, not endangered and hiding. He was angry at a prophecy that put his son in such danger and furious with the spy that would share this information. Does a Death Eater not even have mercy on innocent children? He was angry at a Seer for daring to speak the words.

By contrast, Sirius seemed hopeful. He was ready to do whatever it took to keep his family safe - after all the Potters were everything to him. No one doubted that he wouldn't give everything that he had to keep them safe.

"What's the best protection that we can give them?" Sirius asked urgently. He focused on action - doing something to protect them.

"I would suggest The Fidelius Charm - it requires a Secret Keeper," Albus answered calmly. "I have been told that Voldemort is going to be making a concerted effort to discover the means of protection given to the Potters."

"Okay, so tell me - what does this charm do?" James asked urgently.

"It seals a secret inside the soul of another. If Voldemort were outside your front window, he would not be able to see or find you, not unless the secret keeper willingly told him where you are. The information cannot be forcefully taken, not via Veritaserum or even by using the Imperius Curse."

"That sounds perfect!" Remus almost rejoiced, "We can perform the charm as soon as possible and they will fine!"

"He will suspect this method - should Voldemort discover the Secret Keeper he will maim and torture them to get the location, and finally he will kill them," Albus replied. "You need someone that either Voldemort will not target or will die rather than divulge the information."

"What happens if the person, the Secret Keeper that is, is killed in the process of Voldemort trying to get the information?" Remus asked everything about his posture was focused.

"Those that are being protected will then become the Secret Keepers, and the protection would still be in place."

Sirius also watched Remus - his mistrust was intensified; he didn't like potential spies knowing the boundaries of his friend's protection.

"The only weakness would be, the individual chosen?" Remus questioned again.

"Yes, I would be cautious who you picked as Secret Keeper," Albus warned, looking pointedly at Lily and James.

"If choosing a Secret Keeper that you can trust completely is paramount - maybe this discussion would be better with just yourself, James and Lily. When they choose someone, then bring them into the loop." Remus suggested.

The room fell silent once again. Each member couldn't help but wonder who the Secret Keeper would be. Sirius and James were both equally suspicious of Remus' 'tips' while Lily was still frozen with fear for her child. Peter, for the first time, stopped his twitching with dread, but instead looked intensely thoughtful. Remus stood firm, his weary face, set, determined.

"Personally James, I think Sirius would be the best bet - but I also think it's fairly obvious. Could we put Sirius under some form of protection too?" Remus asked the wise older man, who nodded in reply. "It's not worth the risk of involving..." he trailed off, though his eyes flickered to Peter for the slightest moment.

"I agree it should be kept private -" Sirius began, "but I'm not afraid of someone knowing that I would put my name forward."

Sirius turned to Lily and knelt at her side. "I would die before I told anyone Lily, you have my word. I would make the unbreakable vow!"

Lily looked into his eyes, she smiled. "You wouldn't have to. I think Remus is right; we need to protect Sirius too. Anyone in this room is susceptible to Veritaserum - and we know they have an excellent potions master." Lily said sadly, wiping tears from her cheek, thinking sadly of her first friend.

Remus reached over squeezing her hand, knowing the pain Lily felt over the dark genius that brewed for the Dark Lord. She looked at him - Lily would miss Remus most of all, the first Marauder she had called a friend. Saying goodbye to everyone would be hard, not being able to fight would be just as hard. Their lives since Hogwarts had been about fighting this war, and how she had to hide. Knowing Harry was at risk - should couldn't do anything else.

"I think … everyone should leave." Sirius suggested.

"No- Please, just five more minutes…" Lily sobbed.

"Lil, we need to get this sorted," James urged, "Me, you, Sirius and Albus can plan this- we don't want anyone to be targeted because they have information."

She nodded helplessly. "I'll miss you all - so much." She whispered.

"We'll miss you too Lily," Remus smiled, "You're like a sister to me, but you need to be safe. We will all be here when you're safe."

Lily nodded, tears started rolling down her face and clung to him, whispering in his ear how much she would miss him. The others said their goodbyes, but Remus was the last to leave. The remaining members of the Order, Sirius, James, Lily and Albus, were now alone. Lily pulled herself together and wiped her tears away, ready for another fight - not the one that she was used to but a fight none-the-less.

"There is someone else I would like to consult with." Albus began, the Potters nodded. "I've arranged for him to join us, but his identity must remain secret - he will only show when I signal him, and I can only do that if everyone swears to protect his identity." There was no room for argument. They agreed eagerly, thinking only of their safety and how this person might help.

* * *

Severus was waiting in the old dingy living room of his childhood home; his parents had passed on some time ago. He felt the signal to arrive at Godric's Hollow, his stomach twisting with nerves and butterflies. Severus was about to see her again. He had already paid with a year of service for her protection, and he knew she would now have had the child, and he would be there. They were going into hiding in the next few days. It was the first time he had seen her since Hogwarts, the first time that they had spoken since the fifth year. A lump grew in his throat as the memories that were so carefully held back behind a fortress of Occlumency barriers flooded to the front of his mind.

With a strange excitement, despite the desperate circumstances, Severus Apparated and appeared in the garden of the little cottage in Godric's Hollow. As the nerves built up again he focused on the memory of her eyes. He couldn't help but picture them as they were the last time they spoke - filled with tears as she refused to talk to him again. That was the day his heart broke. He walked into the house, knowing that they were expecting someone - not him, Albus would be the only friendly face.

Severus walked into the living room. Sirius and James immediately drew their wands - anger being their immediate reaction. He only focused on one face - Lily's. Her green eyes were hard, and they looked at him, horrified. It hurt more than her tear-filled eyes. Severus hated seeing himself through her eyes. Shame bubbled up inside his chest.

Albus tried to intervene for Severus - but he stopped that. Severus wanted to handle this himself.

"Him?!" Sirius questioned. "How dare you to show your face here? You filthy, vile scum!" he sneered.

What this man thought of him was of little consequence to Severus. He continued forwards, taking out his wand as he pushed past Sirius and James. Now level with Lily, he got down on his knees handing her his wand, handle first.

"Lily…" His tone was even, unemotional, and yet he struggled to get even this out.

Lily was dumbstruck and took the offered wand.

"Sev?" Lily's voice was uncertain. She was looking at this man that would have been a perfect stranger, yet in his eyes she saw the boy she had grown up with.

"I promise, I will do anything to protect you, and those that you love."

Lily's lip trembled as she stared into his onyx eyes. "Sev…? My Sev?"

Severus was filled with shock - nerves filled with hope as her expression changed. She smiled, and more tears fell.

"It's me. I'm so so-" he began but was interrupted by her pulling him to a warm embrace.

"I missed you, Sev. I missed you so much." She wept into his shoulder.

"I missed you too, and I was an idiot-"

"Forget it. It's all in the past." She smiled moving out of his arms.

"I came because you have a spy in the Order." He now took a moment to glance around the room, James and Sirius were dumbstruck. "The Dark Lord is keeping this close to his chest. I cannot find out who it is, not without arousing suspicion. Lily - please be careful! You're using a Secret Keeper?" He couldn't believe his luck, Lily would never love him, but it looked like he would be able to get a small piece of her back - a bit of Lily, that was worth the world.

James stood forward, "Yes, do you have anything that would point us in the right direction?"

"I know it's someone close to you," he spoke in hushed tones, eyeing Sirius. "Are you sure you can trust him?" he asked Lily.

"I trust him with my life," she replied resolutely.

"I think we were right James - Remus!" He stepped forward, all aggression towards Severus forgotten - at least for a moment.

"Are you sure that it's Remus?" Severus asked, "I would have sooner assumed you." He snapped.

"We had suspected this for a while, and we have accounted for those that were in meetings that had information leaked." Sirius spat back, his distaste for Severus evident.

James didn't react that much better, the little display with Lily almost made him angrier; Lily's response stung slightly. This was a friendship he couldn't and wouldn't understand. It was a part of her that wasn't his, and he seethed with jealousy - not something James was used to.

"Thank you, Severus." Albus smiled. "I wanted you to know who risked their lives for you." He looked towards James pointedly.

James' eyes were downcast. No one liked to be told off by Albus Dumbledore, no matter how gently.

"It goes further than this," Severus continued. "The Dark Lord knows that you will be using a Secret Keep - the process of elimination - anything more secure is dark in nature." He smiled curtly at Albus.

"Severus - I have told you we will not use such methods!" Albus scolded.

"Of course, Albus." Severus nodded, holding his hands up slightly in surrender. "He is making a concerted effort to find out who the Secret Keeper will be. He even plans to attempt to control who your Secret Keeper will be. The Dark Lord has placed me at Hogwarts in the hopes that I can discover this amongst any other of Albus' secrets. The Dark Lord believes that getting the information from whoever holds your secret will be an easy task. He knows that Imperious, and Veritaserum won't work - his methods are brutal and will yield results from the bravest. Whoever you choose will need protection, a great deal of security."

Something unexpected happened - the most unlikely person decided to show Severus his human side; he took the wand from Lily, stepped towards the dark-haired man - he handed the wand back. It was a significant sign of trust. His eyes were kinder than they had ever been before, at least when looking at Severus.

"You love my wife?" James asked.

Severus' jaw stiffened, and he turned his head away, onyx eyes refusing to meet hazel.

"That's answer enough," James replied.

"Love isn't a strong enough word. She's the only person." He sneered.

"That I will trust." James' voice was sincere. "I owe you my life. I owe you everything. You gave hope to my family, and for this, I am eternally grateful."

He then held a hand out to Severus who was frozen, unsure of how to handle this olive branch. He did what Lily would want him to do; he reached out a hand, and they shook. There was no friendship here; however, they were both on the same side. It was a reprieve from hatred at least. This did not change anything with Sirius. Sirius had an ingrained hatred of the Dark Arts, a hatred of Slytherin and the Pureblood agency that his family had stood for. His hatred stemmed from the childhood that he had always tried to escape - Severus had a way of symbolising all that he hated. Severus nodded sharply at James and turned once again to Lily.

"If you need anything, you can get a message to me through Albus - anything." He smiled - such a rare smile, and after another embrace, he disapparated with a loud crack.

* * *

As soon as he left, the room fell silent. Lily was stunned by the exchanged - she adored Severus. He had been her closest friend and the one that told her what she was. Their friendship was the longest one that she had until it was broken and she could no longer see her friend, but today she seemed to have found the boy from the hillside with the river. Severus had taught her so much, and Lily found forgiveness was easy to give. After all, it was the choices that had separated them - one small choice repaired the rift easily. Having a bit of Severus made the world that much more bearable.

"Sirius, I don't think you should be the Secret Keeper…" James blurted out.

"James- I would never!" Sirius looked hurt.

"No-" James exclaimed, "I'm worried about Remus..." he trailed off, unwilling to voice the concern that had been building steadily.

"James, I think you're wrong, Remus would never-!" Lily interjected.

"Lily, there's no one else it could be," James stated sadly. "We need to trust someone that he won't expect."

"He wouldn't James. He just wouldn't!" Lily replied adamantly.

"Lily, I want the best chance for everyone; Padfoot, Peter, everyone. Remus is a liability, and it could put Sirius in danger!" The tension built up, neither James or Sirius had dared to put it out there so plainly before.

"How do you know it is him? What has he done to make you suspect him? It's not who Remus is!" Lily demanded heatedly.

"Lil, the information that has been fed back - There isn't anyone else with the capability or the access. I'm sorry, I love Moony, but he's gone over to the other side. It breaks my heart, but I think right now we have to face that fact, or at least err on the side of caution." Sirius spoke earnestly.

"Caution is right, but I believe that you may be wrong." He looked at the two men in the room as he said this. "Remus has brought his own concerns about who he feels is the one passing information-"

"-Of course he has! That's what you'd do though, isn't it? Divert attention. I work with Moody, and I know it's not him. I trust Shacklebolt with my life - if Moody vouches for him that's good enough for me." Sirius interrupted. "And the Longbottoms are potentially on the chopping block here as well, so I doubt very much its either of them. Other members of the order haven't been there for half of the information that was leaked! Remus fits."

"Pettigrew- He was here for everything that got leaked!" inserted Lily, "And that's who Remus doesn't trust!"

This was where the trouble was: no one completely trusted anyone. Truthfully, throughout his reign of tyranny, how the Dark Lord turned friend-on-friend was probably the single most damaging blow to the resistance.

"Psh-" James laughed. "I'm sorry Lil, but that's laughable; I'm not saying that he wouldn't do it, I'm saying he doesn't have the smarts, or backbone for that matter, to pull it off. Remus, though… He's a practised liar." He finished sombrely.

Lily already saw James' point of view. Albus hated this most of all, the mistrust.

"Sleep on it before you decide." Albus paused, "I am more than willing to be the Secret Keeper. Remember you need to perform the Charm tomorrow - he will start searching soon. I suggest you opt for trust over an attempt to outsmart a spy." Dumbledore picked up a soft parcel, thanked James and Lily and immediately disapparated.

The Potter's were left with making a decision that could change their whole world.

They decided the next morning to make Peter Pettigrew the Secret Keeper, but they told everyone it was Sirius. It was something that no one would expect. Arrangements were made for Peter's protection, and Sirius was going to be checking on him intermittently, and delivering whatever they needed to each home. Lily performed the charm herself, and their fate was now sealed. The Secret Keeper had been chosen.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 - Pettigrew Revealed

_**Top O' The Mornin' To Ya, Laddies! Welcome back to Chapter Three!****_

**I'm gonna be honest, I am running on very little sleep right now. insomnia is a bitch and a half.**

**My updates for this story are going to come very fast at first. Most of it has already been mapped out by the beautiful Verity Grahams (go check out her other works, she is A-frickin-mazing!), all im basically doing is re-reading and cleaning it up. No major changes so far. Now, once we get past Chapter 22, that will be all me!**

**More than likely updates from me will be (I hope) every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday. Hopefully. That's the goal i have in mind.**

**ANYWAY, enough of my rambling. ONWARD HO! (My Review review will be at the end of the chapter)**

**Disclaimer: I'm not JK Rowling. So, this isnt mine, im just playing in the playground.**

* * *

Malfoy Manor was an impressive, imposing and ostentatious estate. The country home was anything but idyllic, it had a dark gothic edge with glittering silver and white that couldn't lighten the desolate atmosphere. The grounds had pure white peacocks and marble monuments, just another mark of the monstrous Malfoy ego. The main doors were large oak, ornately carved, giving the impression of royalty - their belief that their bloodline was wizarding aristocracy was evident. The entrance way was glamorous and dark, a physical representation of the Malfoy family ethos. Just beyond where more large oak double doors leading to a grand dining area. There were many people congregated around a dark oak table. A silver and yet strangely dark chandelier hung from the ceiling providing only a faint glow, making the atmosphere that much more sinister.

At the head of the table sat a tall, pale man. His eyes were red, his pupils like slits, and his nose was strangely flat to his face with long narrow nostrils, giving the man a sinister snake-like appearance. The Dark Lord and his journey into the depths of dark magic had taken its toll on the once handsome face. The cause of the change in his appearance was unknown, but the more his monstrous regime took hold, the more it showed in his physicality. The rest of the occupants surrounding the table focused only on the pale serpentine man. They were all dressed in long identical dark robes, and glittering, tarnished silver masks, like a uniform. There was one empty chair beside the one they called 'Lord'.

In the shadows, a short and stumpy figure waited; he was a fidgeting pathetic excuse for a man. He had the same black robes, though they were not as grand or as decadent as others. He had mousy brown hair and pale watery eyes. He was fearful and a direct contradiction to every other person in the room.

In another corner, there for all to see, lay the mutilated corpse of a previous disciple. He had clearly displeased his Master. There were too many ways to anger the dictator and very few styles in which he would choose to respond. This man's penalty was a snake feasting on his flesh.

"I would like to introduce our latest addition" the Dark Lord gestured to the dumpy man. "Peter Pettigrew."

He didn't wear one of the masks. He was unmistakably consumed by fear and desperation, and as he eyed the body in the corner, the thought must have crossed his mind; 'maybe I made the wrong choice?' However, it did not. Peter, like so many others, believed that pleasing the Dark Lord is always the safest option, no matter the cost. Peter was paying a high price tonight, and one that he was paying willingly, anything to buy his own safety.

"Peter has been most helpful in recent times." The voice of their leader was gentle, silky and almost sweet, despite this, he still instilled fear into all that heard him. "He has been our man within The Order." He smiled inauspiciously.

"Peter has delivered the most helpful snippets." He continued. "He has been most desperate to join our ranks, but as everyone here knows, I expect payment." he paused.

Lord Voldemort gazed at his disciples. Some of them served out of ambition, some believed in the misguided ideals, some out of wonder, and some even served out of fear.

"Peter has finally paid the price to bear my Mark," Voldemort continued his monologue. "He has become the Secret Keeper for the Potter Family; they have defied me long enough. Peter and one other will be assisting me with this task as it is a matter of the utmost security." His slight smirk was frightening, he stood and gestured to the men on either side of him; Peter and one other. The Dark Lord then walked from the room, his two supporters in tow, both spies, and both trusted by the Dark Lord.

Severus' dark eyes bore into the snivelling man. He was filled with disgust just looking at him. Severus desperately grasped at the limited information he had, wondering how we could fix this, he tried to formulate a plan.

"Peter, I would like to introduce you to Severus, a most adept and loyal servant of mine," he explained in his smooth and silky tone. "Severus gave me the primary intelligence that made it obvious that the Potters needed to be terminated. It was only right that he assist me in the execution."

Severus removed his mask, the hatred for Peter evident on his face. The Dark Lord would assume this was due to their past history, or even merely because Peter was the epitome of all that is pathetic, no one could argue with that. The rat-like man quivered, his eyes darting around the room, the sheer weight of his fear consuming him. Severus had to give him a little credit; that small amount of Gryffindor bravery served him enough to keep him upright and able to speak before the most feared wizard in history. Severus was no small fry either.

"The Potters are hidden in the town of Godric's Hollow, my Lord. They live in a small cottage across from the church on the main street. It's known as Peverell Lodge and is under the protection of the Fidelius Charm. But I am the Secret Keeper, and I grant you entry, my Lord!" Peter finished his treachery with a low bow, awaiting his reward. His voice was a wretched squeak from start to finish, and yet he spoke with a fluidity that told Severus he did not regret his actions.

"Give me your arm, Wormtail," demanded the Dark Lord.

Peter handed over his arm and his new master immediately pulled up his robe, revealing his bare forearm. The shrewd wizard then pulled out his wand, pushing it into Peter's skin. Peter immediately let out a pained cry as he sank to the floor in agony; black ink spread from the wand coursing beneath the surface of his skin, bubbling with the heat created by the dark mark being burned into his skin. Peter watched, morbidly, as the ink moved and swirled burning as it went. Peter squirmed and tried to pull away, but the Dark Lord had a vice-like grip as he held the wand in place. Finally, the ink revealed a skull with a serpent protruding from its mouth. Peter was officially a Death Eater and there was no going back now.

"Severus, I will go to the Potters - tonight. There is no time to lose, I want you to work harder on your connection with Dumbledore. It's an integral part of my plan to get you inside Hogwarts." He looked at Severus, considering him carefully.

"I would like to get you into the Dark Arts position," he continued. "It's clear we need to press on and educate the youth more appropriately. A belated warning of tonight's attack could earn the fools trust and your revelation of Peter as a spy is no bother to me now." Somehow he kept a calm and even tone, all the while talking about the complete destruction of lives.

"From there we need to work on eradicating the Mudblood's from our society. That will be a two-prong plan involving the ministry as well. As you saw earlier, my man in the ministry has failed me. I shall task another with getting close to Millicent Bagnold, I want an assignation or to have her under the Imperius curse before our plans can proceed any further." He paused reaching for Severus' face, stroking it tenderly. "If only I had more like you..." he trailed off, walking from the room, no other words to be said.

Severus immediately disapperated.

* * *

Back at Godric's Hollow James and Lily settled in for the night, relaxed in the certainty that they were safe. A fire roared in the hearth, the mantelpiece above and every wall was littered with pictures of family and friends - mainly of a small baby. The same baby, now a little bigger, lay on the plush rug giggling. The child was Harry, he had a mess of jet black hair an unnatural amount for one so young, and bright jade green eyes. Harry's chubby legs were kicking in excitement as his tiny hands grasped for bubbles that issued from his father's wand.

Severus Snape shouldn't have been able to see all of this, but Peter had shared the information with him too. He had arrived straight away, right in their front garden. The Potters were too wrapped in a game with their son to notice that something was terribly wrong. Severus wanted to let the moment of joy to last a little longer, not for him, Potter, but for her - the only love of his life. He couldn't bear to see the fear in her eyes, the same eyes as the boy that his master had decided to condemn to death. Severus couldn't stand the thought of her knowing she had been betrayed so soon. Time, however, was of the essence, he knew he couldn't give her long.

There was a harsh knock on the door, making James jump. Lily immediately grabbed Harry, wrapping her arms around him, shielding him from any potential harm. Sirius had left only hours ago and no one else was due to arrive. The knock came again, urgent and impatient. Just a few seconds passed went by before they heard the incantation.

"Alohomora." It was a deep whispering voice.

James grasped his wand firmly and stood in front of Lily and his child, his wand aimed at the door. In walked Severus.

"How?" James' face was shocked and full of fear.

It was apparent he was dumbfounded regarding how and who had betrayed him. His expression quickly changed to enraged making it clear that he thought Severus had managed to trick them all, to fool even Dumbledore. The play of emotions would have been almost amusing to Severus, but there was only one thing on his mind.

"You chose Pettigrew?" Severus couldn't contain his anger.

He looked at the man that had Severus' entire world in his hands. James Potter held everything that Severus had ever dreamed of, and he was wasting it. The disgust in Severus' voice was evident.

"I'm confused Potter, it would have been easier for you to send an invite to the Dark Lord directly." His face was twisted with rage. "I risked my life to bring you this information - to save HER!" His anger erupted.

His carefully concealed emotions threatening to reveal themselves as a single tear threatened to escape. Severus took a moment to compose himself before speaking again.

"And you risk them so easily," he spoke in his usual even tone, emotion safely suppressed. "You don't deserve what you have Potter!" He spat the words in his face, disgusted that he would put such little value on his beloved Lily.

Lily's face was frozen in fear, shocked and unable to move. James did little more, his wand still aimed at Severus. The look of realisation would have been priceless to Severus, had it not been so tragic. James now knew that he had made an enormous error. He had risked his family, all to be smart - smarter than Voldemort. What was worse was how James had underestimated two of his closest friends. Remus, he had done nothing to deserve this censure, and yet James had failed to see the flawless character of a righteous friend. James found himself leaning into prejudice, it was normal at a time like this, but towards a friend? He had misjudged and underestimated Pettigrew also, this time because he assumed he didn't have the gall to do such a thing. James had sealed his families fate with his own arrogance. He knew he could only blame himself.

"What do I do Severus?" James asked quietly, looking at the man in, what Severus could only describe later, true horror and fear. He had made a choice to trust the man before him, a man he that he could never have called _friend_. However, he knew Snape was the one person he could trust to protect Lily. He saw how he had always looked at her in school, and how he still looked at her, even in this moment. Severus would defend Lily, risking everything for her, knowing she would never be his. This was the only thing they had in common.

"He's on his way, he will be here any moment." Severus urged his enemy into action. "You protect Harry - I will protect Lily." These were probably their final moments and what was strange was that James and Severus were finally on the same side. James hesitated, wanting desperately to be the one to protect Lily.

"I'll die before she does ...I promise." Severus declared, seeing James' pause.

James believed him. Severus turned, taking the boy from Lily he handed him to James. He took out his wand, guarding Lily with his own body. Then they heard it, the faint pop of someone Apparating in the distance. James immediately ran upstairs, holding the child to his chest, he made for the quickest exit he could. Severus turned to Lily, and did the last she expected: "Stupefy," he whispered

Severus didn't put much effort into the spell, just enough to knock her out and keep her quiet. He lifted her, his arms cradling her tenderly as he carried her through to the back of the house. Severus hid her in her own pantry, tied her up so she wouldn't be able to escape. He was as gentle as possible, carefully tying knots that would stop her from being so brash. The lock clicked, and Severus heard movement. He listened carefully and listened to the familiar rustle of those black silken robes as they moved up the stairs.

"Muffliato," he murmured, so that his footfalls would not be heard.

His heart sank as he knew James had not had the time to escape yet. He followed the Dark Lord, not believing he was risking his life for someone other than Lily. There was only a straightforward logic that caused this; Lily. Her heart needed his protection too, and that man and that child were her heart and her soul - so he would be willing to die for them too.

"Avada Kedavra!"

It was a cold, harsh, and yet deadly calm voice that spoke the Killing Curse. Severus knew it was too late, at least for one of them, he ran hoping to at least to save the child. He walked into the doorway of the small nursery. The walls were a pale cream with pictures dancing on the walls. The baby, Harry, sat in the cream cot staring at the dark man before him, no idea of the danger before him. Severus was frozen with fear as he entered, watching as the man, no this _monster_, raised his wand at the child. Severus made his move to protect the child, but the words were already spoken.

"Avada Kedavra," the voice sounded again: calm, deadly and unfeeling.

What happened next Severus wouldn't understand. There was a flash of blinding green light, and the room was filled with the sound of Harry's cry. The sheer force of the spell blew Severus out of the room; the green light turned pure blinding white, and the child's screams were drowned out by a horrific scream from the Dark Lord. The spell had rebounded, that much was clear. Severus moved into the shadows in time to see a dark soul fleeing the scene, leaving behind a corpse and a child. Harry was crying in his crib with an angry red lightning bolt scar on his forehead. Severus breathed a sigh of relief that a piece of Lily's heart had survived. It was all Severus had managed, but he knew it was nothing to do with him. (A later theory speculated that the father's sacrifice had saved the boy.) At that moment, he respected James, seeing him sacrifice his life for his family made him almost want to forgive him. Almost.

The baby continued to cry, and Severus didn't know what to do. He picked up the infant gingerly and thought about holding him close knowing the child needed comfort. Severus couldn't do it; he knew Lily would need support too, and so he took the baby down to her hiding place. When he was again by her side, he magically removed the restraints.

"Rennervate," he whispered.

The unconscious Lily's eyes fluttered opened to find Severus pushing the child into her arms. He looked into her eyes, and he could already see the pain. It was clear that she understood. Only one of them hadn't survived, if James could be by her side, he would…. but he wasn't.

"I'm sorry. Lily, I wasn't quick enough!" Tears slipped down his cheeks, feeling responsible for her now broken heart.

* * *

**A/N: Aww. Poor Sev, Lily and Harry! Hey, dont hate for me killing James. You knew this was a Severus/Lily story, ya should have expected James to die instead. Dont like it? Well, dont let the door hit you in the ass on your way out of here! There are filters for a reason, people, gods.**

**AND HOLY CRAP GUYS! Youve already given me 15 follows, 26 favorites, and 571 views in the first twenty-four hours? WHAT? That makes me feel so awesome! Im so thankfull!**

_**Review time, review time! Gather all your friends! Review time, review time! The only cure for sadness!****_

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**VERITY! Thank you thank you thank you for letting me have this gem of a story! I promise not to do too much changing right off the bat, but maybe later ill come back and change a couple things.**

_**Thank you guys so much for reading this! If you liked it, punch the favorite button in the face LIKE A BOSS! AND high-fives all around! But thank you guys, and i will see all you dudes... IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!****_

**Fifty House Points to whoever can guess where the italicized lines in my A/Ns come from!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4- The Aftermath

**Hello again! I am so freaking happy with the response this story has had already, in about 24 hours! Like, are you kidding me? We are almost at 1000 views! What even is that? Like, holy crap!**

**Ok, im not going to bore you with a long A/N. So, without further delay..**

**Disclaimer: Still not mine. *Sad face***

* * *

Sirius had left the Potters just a few hours ago, he was now ready to go and sit out the night with Peter. He wasn't entirely sure that the secret would stay safe, but he would do all that he could to protect what he thought was a brave and loyal friend. Sirius would do anything because he thought this man was risking his life to save James, Lily and Harry. He wasn't overly concerned about tonight; the chances of them figuring out it was Peter straight away were slim. Sirius expected someone to come for him first, after all, that was the information that Remus had. Because of all this, Sirius was casually strolling down the street to the dingy, little house where Peter lived. As he looked at the house and saw a peaceful, undisturbed home, he smiled, secure in the thought that this meant his friends were safe.

He walked up to the house and performed an unlocking charm, the house dark and quiet. It was likely that Peter was already asleep, passed out on the couch. _'A cushy job in the order, hiding out keeping a secret,'_ Sirius thought. The entire house was peaceful, it was neat, and tidy, not a thing out of place, and there was no sign of Peter.

"Peter," Sirius whispered, as he walked through the simple, combined kitchen and living room area, and then through to where Peter would sleep. There was still no sign, and the worry started to set in, he called louder;

"Peter!"

There was nothing in the little dingy bedroom, and no one in the bathroom. The small flat held very few places to hide, and the plan was that Peter would not move. He was nervous, very nervous.

"Peter! Peter!" he began shouting.

Sirius was now running about the house thinking of anywhere that he might hide. Peter was an illegal Animagi, so it was possible that a little rat hid somewhere in the room trying to stay safe. Then a strange thought dawned, why would Peter hide? No one was here, not a thing was out of place, no one had come looking for him, and even now, he would recognize Sirius' voice, so why?

"Peter, it's me, Sirius, you James and myself became Animagi together in our 5th year."

He spoke with desperation, somehow he knew that Peter wouldn't answer. Although he had never suspected until this moment, he knew that Peter wasn't hiding, wary that it may not be Sirius in the house. Somehow he realized that Peter was the traitor, yet he continued to search in pure desperation, pulling apart the tidy home. Sirius screamed in frustration falling to his knees in anger. The only thought running through his mind was _'We should have listened to Lily.'_ And with that, he disapperated, hoping to get there in time.

* * *

It had seemed like mere moments had passed, but an hour later Severus was still knelt on the pantry floor watching Lily hold her son to her chest, crying silent tears for her lost husband. Neither was thinking about an explanation of what had happened to the Dark Lord. Was he still here? Had he died? Why was Harry alive? Severus knew that at some point he needed to get a message to Dumbledore; he saw something survive, how much he didn't know. Would he ever be able to rise to power again? These where questions he just couldn't answer, questions that right now he just wouldn't think on, he could only think of her pain. Lily hadn't looked at him yet, only at her son. Then slowly she raised her head, and looked into his eyes; they were as black as coal. Many called Severus an unemotional man, but Lily saw deep wells of emotion, not knowing that Severus was seeing her pain and anguish, or that it was pouring right back out. To Lily, it looked like hope.

In the distance, barely noticeable as they were both lost in their agonising hour-long moment, there was a faint pop. They didn't even hear the man stumbling into the house, the wreckage from the curse had blown the entire roof of the cottage away. The man stumbling around cried out in agony; there was no stealth anymore, the intruder didn't care that he could be cornered at any moment. Sirius Black was just in pain. He ran upstairs, the first thing he saw was his brother in arms, James, sprawled on the floor in front of Harry's crib, his eyes open, but lifeless. He cried aloud pulling his friend towards him, holding him close, he sobbed into James' robes.

"I'm sorry James, I'm so sorry. I failed you, James, I'm sorry!" he sobbed over and over, in his mind the worst had happened.

Downstairs, Snape helped Lily up.

"Lil, we need to get to Sirius. Come on Lil." He ushered her upstairs, hating the man up there, but knowing it was cruel to leave the man to this unimaginable grief alone.

This was the first time that the war had indeed stung Severus. He was used to being on the other side, the side putting the Mark in the sky - not crying over the bodies left behind; somehow he felt happier on this side, cleaner.

"Yea," her voice broke through the tears.

She managed to get her feet under her, but leaned heavily on Severus, who gently carried her to where she would see the man she loved. She managed the stairs, but as they approached Harry's room, her legs gave way. Severus caught her, and her sobs broke out once again, louder, getting the attention of the other sobbing man. Sirius reached for her, a little slice of joy, happier that he hadn't lost everything - just the man who became his brother. Sirius held her close, and they sobbed over James' body together. Severus stood on the sidelines, alone, watching the heartbreak continue. It took some time before Sirius even acknowledged his presence. Anger flashed across his face, and then confusion.

"I- I- I'm so sorry, I wasn't quick enough," Severus stuttered. "There was no time."

Sirius' eyes softened, Snape, a man he had hated, looked just as broken as either of them, though suspicions never died.

"Di-did you plan this?" he spat out, his face contorted with rage.

It was almost a ridiculous thought, but they all knew how much Snape loved Lily. It was easier to believe that he had schemed and plotted than to face the fact that he and James made an error in trusting the wrong friend. Somehow, there was no anger on Snape's face, there was an acknowledgement that he had thought of this plan; of giving the Dark Lord James and the boy, in return for Lily, but he hadn't. Severus cared too much for her joy, he knew this path wasn't going to get him his heart's desire. Severus knew long ago that he had destroyed the way to her heart, he knew that afternoon in fifth year, after their Defense O.W.L's. That terrible choice he made, when he spoke those unforgivable words. Now he just wanted to make her happy.

"Peter, he told the Dark Lord, I got here as soon as I could-" He stopped abruptly, unanswered questions now came to the forefront of his mind. What had happened here?

"Then why did he leave Lily and Harry alive?" Sirius asked, anger and suspicion rising up. After all, Voldemort never showed mercy.

"He didn't - something happened," Severus struggled to find the answers. "I arrived a few moments before him… I told James to protect the child and that I would protect Lily. Then - he arrived, I stunned her and hid her." Severus didn't understand how he would explain what happened. He knew this would take knowledge of some magic unknown to him. "I followed … up here," he pointed to the place where he had stood, right in the doorway of the room. There was no roof now, just the empty night sky. "I was late… James was already dead. I got up here, I tried to make it in time to save Harry, but he had already cast the curse."

His voice held more and more a note of confusion to it. He stumbled over the words inelegantly. This hadn't happened in the entire history of The Unforgivable Curses. "There was the blinding green light of the curse... he screamed… Then the light turned pure white. That's when the blast pushed me out of the room, and then there was nothing left; just dark smoke in a gust of wind. Though I could swear it …" He trailed off, too confused to continue. He slid down the wall and pointed at Harry. "And Harry… he lived!"

Sirius looked at him just as confused by the strange and disjointed tale, then he turned to Harry and saw the scar burning on his forehead. Suspicions ceased, and other emotions arose in Sirius. He was a man that would desire payback for wrongdoing, and he knew where he would get it. He would deal with the turmoil of not trusting Remus later, and of not seeing Pettigrew for what he was. He would have to deal with his regret for trying to use brains to save the family he loved, his surrogate family. Bravery he knew, and it would have worked. Now was the time for revenge.

"Lily," he gently kissed her on the forehead, lovingly, brotherly.

He then turned his attention to Harry and whispered.

"I'll always be here for you Harry," he gently stroked the child's face, "First I need to avenge my brother," his voice gentle, he knelt down and kissed the child on his red scar.

Sirius disapperated immediately leaving mother, baby and the tall, dark-haired man alone. Severus did all he knew to do, he summoned the only man that might be able to answer some of his questions: Albus Dumbledore.

* * *

It hadn't taken Dumbledore long to arrive, and Snape again had been obliged to explain the circumstances of James' death. He also told of the mystery of Harry surviving what he knew had been a killing curse and confusion of the Dark Lords disappearance. Lily was able more and more to be part of the conversation, explaining to Dumbledore who had been their secret keeper, and why they changed it. She told how Severus had turned up to try and protect them. Once Dumbledore was up to date he held Harry and looked carefully at the scar on his forehead, then he questioned Severus vigorously. Most particularly about the dark smoke that had been seen leaving the house, and about what had happened before and after Voldemort cast the killing curse. Severus had finally started to recover from the shock, and therefore, he reacted in his usual impatient, sarcastic manner. He had managed to get himself back on emotional lockdown.

"There is nothing else to say! James stood in front of the child, he refused to stand aside, the Dark Lord killed him." Snape had been questioned many times and was now becoming infuriated.

"And then he immediately turned on Harry?" Dumbledore questioned.

"Yes. And yes, I am sure that it was the killing curse. I heard the Dark Lord say the incantation; it had the distinctive green glow." he continued "Then the light changed, it became a blinding white light. The force of it pushed me back out of the room. I then heard the Dark Lord scream, and the boy cried. When everything cleared there was no Dark Lord, he had been obliterated; but I felt his presence. It sounds foolish, I know, but I believe that he left in the black smoke. There is nothing more to say!" They had gone over it many times now, and Snape had nothing new to share.

"I have only theories I'm afraid, but one thing is certain that Voldemort is now powerless! He will, however, return. Harry's life will be in grave danger, from him and his followers. He will need great protection." His gaze never left Lily as he spoke. Her face was stern now, listening intently, as if her focus in life had become only one thing: Harry and keeping him safe.

"Dumbledore, I will do anything to keep him safe, but I don't feel that I can trust anyone with my son's safety right now. You always said his greatest weapon was turning us against each other, he's gone, and yet this weapon isn't failing!" she held her sleeping son close to her chest, stroking the painful looking scar on his forehead.

"Trust yourself, Lily." It was Severus that spoke. She looked into his eyes, they were softer than she had seen them in years. Here was her problem, her heart told her this was a man that she could trust, a known Death Eater and yet a close friend. And then there was a member of the Order, whom she should have been able to believe in, and they had turned out to be an enemy. She had not felt safe around Peter for some time; it had not been logical, it had been in her heart. And now, although all logic would tell her not to trust the man before her, her heart told her to leap, that he had come through for her. In her heart, she knew he always would. She knew just how much he had risked coming here tonight, by all rights, all four of them should have died.

"Ok," she spoke gingerly. Lily decided she was going to trust her instincts and hers alone. "I want us to make a plan for Harry's protection, and there are only a handful of people that I can allow to be involved. Albus, I need the best protection that you can give me!"

"Lily, who will you trust?" spoke Snape.

He was still cautious. Severus was shocked at the man that they had already trusted, he wanted her to believe in herself, but he had to ensure that no more mistakes were made. It was not for the boy, of course, she couldn't take losing Harry, and Severus couldn't bear seeing her in any more pain.

"I will choose, myself, Dumbledore, Sirius, Remus, and you, Sev."

She looked into his eyes. Yes, that was a good choice. Lily saw it in his eyes, the Sev she knew as a child was back; the boy that had always been there until he wasn't. He had been someone she could genuinely lean on, a great friend.

* * *

Elsewhere in the wizarding world, the mood was far less sombre. The news of 'He Who Must Not Be Named's' defeat had spread like wildfire. The wizarding community had thrown caution to the wind to celebrate their liberty from what had been a growing, and cruel dictatorship. The following days had led to many a breach of the International Statute of Secrecy; even the Minister for Magic, Millicent Bagnold, had been called up on charges. She acquitted herself quite brilliantly stating; _'I assert our inalienable right to party!'_ The Muggle news discussed the mass amount of owls flying in daylight hours, confusing many bird experts. It seemed that Muggles being able to see the wondrous magical world was not really a significant concern. One wizard bumping into an overly broad and grumpy Muggle responded to his apology by joyfully stating, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"

A particular wizard, Dedalus Dingle's celebration ended up on the Muggle news, astronomers confused by the sheer amount of shooting stars in Kent that night. During that week, not a single person was charged with breaking the Statute of Secrecy. Everything was smoothed over, and everyone lifted a glass to Harry Potter; The Boy Who Lived.

Parts of the community, specifically those who knew the Potters and knew them well, had parties also, but they were bittersweet. The grief felt for James Potter was great, as was the confusion over what had happened, and who had betrayed them was a point of contention. Many called for Sirius Black to be arrested - Remus felt a great heartache believing he was at fault for convincing them to appoint Black as Secret Keeper. He wasn't a vindictive man and did not react in the same way as Sirius had. Sirius had hunted Peter down; this didn't help Sirius' image, as upon finding him, Peter was ready to show just how good a part he could play.

Sirius finally tracked Peter down to the small Muggle town of Whitby. It was a relatively busy high street where he finally cornered Peter.

"How could you?!" Sirius' anger got the better of him, and he shouted maniacally at Peter when he finally got the cowards attention. His fury could be felt in every word.

To passers-by, Sirius looked like a madman, though to say that the grief had driven him mad was not altogether untrue.

"JAMES!" He screamed, "James protected you, HOW COULD YOU?!" Sirius became more and more unravelled as he quickly closed the gap between himself and the rat.

Peter truly had no one on his side anymore. His new 'back up plan' had been destroyed just as he had revealed his true colours. Peter trembled before the ferocious man, his mind working overboard. He felt that there was no good way to survive this; he knew that Sirius would happily kill him for what he had done. He knew that Lily had escaped and so the truth of his betrayal could not be hidden. Peter also believed the sinister whispers that He Who Should Not Be Named had survived. But, he had been broken, and he would return. Peter needed a way to hide, a way to not be looked for - a way to die without being dead. It was with that thought that Peter desperately and hopefully put his plan into action.

Peter wept, the epitome of desperation to anyone that didn't know better. Though Sirius and Severus rarely saw eye to eye, the look that Sirius wore for Peter now was almost identical to the stare that Severus had given him.

"Sirius! How could you? James, he was your best friend! How could you betray us like that?!" He burst into tears, cowering like a baby on the floor, convincing the crowd they had dearn that he was the victim in this situation. "Sirius, what have you done? The Dark Lord, how could you turn to him. We could have helped you get free of him, Sirius, why?"

"DON'T LIE!" bellowed Black. "YOU BETRAYED JAMES, LILY AND LITTLE HARRY!"

"I would never! Don't try to convince them it was me!" gasped Peter. "What is there to be gained by lying now, Sirius? I will avenge my friend, I will avenge James."

"You, avenge James?" Sirius shouted, "I will avenge James with your death!" Sirius spat the words out, a terrible fury on his face.

"You don't understand," whimpred Peter, "this was all your fault, Sirius!"

"How can you insult them like this?" roared Sirius.

A tear escaped as he looked on one that he had once called a friend. He knew, honestly, had the roles been reversed, he would have died to protect his friends, Peter included. Sirius shook his head slightly, as though removing the dark thoughts from his mind, then with a calmer, albeit scarier look on his face, he raised his wand.

"You should have realised Peter," he spoke quietly now, "If Voldemort didn't kill you, I would. Goodbye, Peter."

At that moment they both acted out their plans; Peter raised his wand and bellowed out a killing curse, aiming it at a crowd of staring Muggles behind him. The vast explosion killed many of the Muggles and created a barrier of smoke and debris. At that moment, quicker than Sirius had been able to act he chopped off his finger. Peter then began his transformation into a rat - Sirius' curse narrowly missing him. Peter scurried away down a nearby drain. Insanity gripped Sirius at that moment. He was dumbstruck that he had been outsmarted for a second time by the friend that he had so grossly underestimated already. Sirius simply stared at the crater made from Peter's curse and laughed maniacally staring at all that was left. A finger.

It wasn't long before numerous Aurors turned up. They had the testimony of Remus that he had been the Secret Keeper, the witness' on Whitby High Street to the murder of twelve Muggles and Peter Pettigrew. Sirius was escorted straight to Azkaban, the wizarding prison. Everyone believed him evil and insane. He never spoke a word in his defence as he was accompanied to the prison. The conflicting emotions inside him rendering him his own worst enemy. Although he knew that hope remained deep down, as Lily had survived and Severus knew he hadn't betrayed the Potters, despair still gripped him. In his cell, his insanity increased as the Dementors stole all the happy memories he had.

* * *

**A/N: Oooff... Another rollarcoster of a chapter! Dont worry the next one will be a lot better, i promise.**

**Please please please let me know what you think! Im open to all types of reviews! Next chapter will be up shortly!**

**BYEEEE!**


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